Category Archives: So how’s band camp?

I Made It Through The Rain

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Yes another blasé blah kid of day. It’s totally hummus out. I just got back from some busking. I couldn’t do it yesterday since it was raining on and off most of the day and plus my usual spot was closed off for the Mumford and Sons show. Last night’s blog came pretty easily. I can get fired up and the words start pouring out. It took me longer to post the photographs than it was to come up with words. I thought it was a good posting and judging by the comments, no one else did. So it goes.

I met Rand and Lisa by Pier A. Not actually on Pier A since that is where the concert was and it was a ticketed show and since no one I knew had tickets, I knew I would see someone outside the event. It was good to see them, and it was good to get outside since I was cooped up most of the day. I listened to Nirvana as I walked over, specifically In Bloom since that song had been playing in my head most of the day. I also enjoyed a nice cigar and stood away from most people during the show.

As I got nearer to the concert the one song I knew by Mumford and Sons was being performed, Little Lion Man. The first time I heard the song was the first time I saw them on Letterman. I liked it and sought it out immediately. It still is the only song I could identify by them and I figured it would be their big finale but there it was being performed in the middle of their set. They were entertaining but it was not enough for Lisa, Rand and myself to stand there and watch.

So we walked from Pier A winding up on Pier C. It was a gorgeous evening especially after all the rain that fell previously. Unfortunately Pier C closes at 9:30 so we were only there for about 20 minutes before being booted out. The three of us walked out back into the streets, Mumford and Sons still carrying on. Our interest had faded and we all wanted to go home, especially Lisa since she actually had to work yesterday. I’m sure Rand worked too, but Lisa has a straight up 9 to 5 job dealing with people so she won the award.

We walked through Stevens Park where I saw Tariq hanging out on a bench with some street guys. I also saw Tariq earlier in the day when I was out and about and was within a foot of him but he was too far gone and wrapped up in a conversation so I just kept on truckin’. I did ask Tariq when we were walking through the park if he would be out today and he said he would be. I came home, Bill was watching the Olympics and I just did my usual thing as Bill readied himself for bed.

Once again it was a difficult night of sleep despite staying up later than usual. It made for getting out of bed this morning a bit difficult but I managed. I got some things done and eventually I went outside into a beautiful afternoon with my guitar for some busking. I spied Tariq wandering around with someone but I just kept to myself. Eventually Tariq sauntered up alone and asked if he could play too. I couldn’t say no and we strummed together, eventually making $6.00 which I split 50/50. He kept drinking from a bottle in his pocket and kept to himself but since the money didn’t appear in the case until he showed up, it was only right to split it with him.

So that’s about it. Off to a rent control meeting at a nearby church. Hoboken renters are fighting off developers who are trying to get rid of rent control in Hoboken. A friend of my brother who lives in town has organized it and since I support it, being a renter, it would be in my best interest to attend.

near the show





062 – Mumford & Sons – Little Lion Man

I Love The Night

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As nice as the weather was today, today was not a beach day. Tomorrow will be and Friday will be and Monday definitely will be beach days. Today was spent in Manhattan. Annemarie hardly ever makes it to New York City when she arrives, usually spent going up and down New Jersey highways and parkways between Hoboken and various points in Bergen county and then down to Sandy Hook. So today the plan was for Annemarie to come to Hoboken and then take the Path train into Manhattan. Annemarie and her husband are friends with a chap named Gary and he wanted to meet up for dinner.

The plan like I said was to park in Hoboken which is hardly ever an easy task. There are so many rules and regulations plus if you slip up it’s a $200.00 boot on the car plus the parking ticket and whatever other penalties they could throw at you. The official way to get around it is to get a parking permit. You can park on the street for four hours but anything longer than that will be a pain in the tuchis. So we discussed what we had to do about it yesterday.

I woke up with the alarm clock and was content to keep hitting the snooze button but remembered that I had to go to city hall and visit the parking authority and get a parking permit for the day. I had done it before and it was never much of a problem, usually the whole thing could be taken care of in 15 minutes. So I made some coffee, had some cereal, jumped in the shower and walked to city hall this morning. I got it together and brought a credit card bill, my passport and my voter registration card.

I got on the line in the basement of city hall, there was a window to get your boot taken off your car and two windows for permits. On the other side of the glass things move quite slowly. N front of me on the line were a couple of parents with their kids. One was fairly docile in the stroller and the other was rambunctious three year old girl. After 45 minutes I had my chance at the window. I stated what I wanted, one day pass and showed my passport, my credit card bill and the voter card.

Those things were no longer accepted I was told. What was accepted is a driver’s license (I don’t drive), a cable bill (not in my name) and a lease (which we never got 12 years ago when we moved in). The chunky chick behind the glass couldn’t understand that I did not have a license, or a lease. A US State Department document is no good, nor is a Hudson county voter registration card. I was visibly upset and asked for the 45 minutes I lost waiting on line for no reason. There were no signs stating what one might need by the way.

I walked back home, called Annemarie and told her that she should forget about the parking permit. I decided to stop by a parking garage and check the rates for an 8 hour visit and it was not as bad as one would think. That was our only option. So Annemarie picked me up and we dropped off the car and headed into Manhattan. We decided to see Woody Allen’s To Rome with Love and checked out a gallery, just one gallery. That’s all we had time for. The move was OK, not Woody’s best, not as good as Midnight in Paris. But it was the first time Annemarie and I saw a Woody Allen movie together in decades and the first time we saw one in Manhattan.

After that we wandered around trying to find a shop that had the new Mojo and Uncut magazines and we found one of Seventh Avenue South. Then we headed back to Chelsea where we met Gary and had a very nice dinner at Rocking Horse Café on Eighth Avenue. A very nice time was had, a few drinks a few beers and many laughs. Stories about the cigar shack were asked for and I certainly delivered leaving a few dropped jaws.

Gary headed back to Park Slope and Annemarie & I stepped onto the Hoboken Path train which pulled up just as we stepped onto the platform. A grand day all around for all concerned I think.






01 All the way to memphis